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Mi Bella and more …

I’ve had lots on my mind, but I don’t know why I didn’t come here to talk things over with you.

During the last week, I’ve had a little “patient”. Bella came to the Pet Hostel with a pinched nerve (as it turns out), “radial nerve paralysis”. This was probably caused by a fall at home, but became a problem while she was in transit from her house, 3 hours away.

When I took the dog from her young owner’s arms and set her inside my kennel building, she fell right over, peddling as if she had either a spinal cord problem or brain injury. At first I didn’t want the dog to stay with us at all, but told the boy that he could leave his dog and her sister with me while I tried to contact the vet. I offered to take Bella to the vet.

The next morning, Bella had her diagnosis and some prednisone and I had some instructions for her care. I offered to be the “nurse” for the week, restricting the dog’s activity and providing warmth and light massage to the affected limb. Later we went back to Dr. Vogel for x-rays on the leg. The vet gave me a little refresher course on making a splint for the leg to provide some support.

Bella’s use of the leg has gradually increased, and her ability to get around has improved (meaning that she can compensate with her sound other legs). Now Bella and her sister have been picked up by family members and I’m “off the hook”. Bella has occupied my thoughts all week, as well occupying time for trips to Dunster, but I hoped that I was making myself useful and helpful.

A splint for a WHAT???

Enough gauze, padding, pantihose and VetWrap…

Voila! A splint that stayed on about one hour.

This is Bella’s full sister, Oreo. Both are happy-go-lucky little doggies when they are well.

Today, Gary and I went to the Home Show in Prince George. We almost cancelled, because it was SNOWING quite a bit and the trip could hardly be considered essential. We decided to venture forth, and the roads turned out to be perfect the whole way … bare and wet or bare and dry.

This was the second day in a year that Gary and I had been away from home together, any further than Dunster. Although we have perfect friends to check on our place while we are gone, or to stay any amount of time necessary, we still haven’t had much time for a day trip at the same time.

In my mind, The Home Show was a disappointment. I expected to see appliances, bath fixtures and lighting. I’d gain inspiration even though I would come home and order from our local building supply store. I bought an overpriced rain shower head that I later decided not to have in the new house, but we will enjoy it here.

Interspersed with information booths and hawkers that were roughly relevant to home building and renovating, there were beauty products, massage chairs, food booths and the like. Okay, food booths are helpful for keeping up one’s strength. We wandered around three Kinsman buildings and an outside display area without a logical path, at least not one that was apparent to us. My poor old toe was giving me fits, although that was nobody’s fault.

We poked around a couple of stores, and because neither Gary nor I enjoy shopping that much, we went out for lunch and called it a “day”! We were home before 6 pm., and we had left home about 8:30. Almost three hours drive up and obviously the same back … you can see we didn’t really stay long.

It was a nice date in the city, but now I know very well that I will stay loyal and local for most of the materials for the new house.

The week has been busy … almost a blur. If I don’t keep up with my Blog, I have a hard time remembering what has happened day-to-day, although I do have an appointment book. It has been a good week, fulfilling in so many ways, and modestly profitable.

Above: Lady & Benji, from the same household.

Through the week, I had a few other dogs to groom. Boarding dogs came and went. Tonight, we have Hunter, Festus, Jasper & Timber, Shadow, Junior, Muddy & Tia, and Robbie. Those are the dogs. We have cats Heidi and Daisy.

Last week I bought an inexpensive chest of drawers from a yard sale. When I removed a drawer to scrape off some stickers, Smokey felt that this space was just MEANT for her!

I changed Taffy’s cage. That’s hardly newsworthy, but I wanted to segue into my nice little photo of her enjoying the first of the spring greens:

This is Patchy, who I groomed early this week. His owners reported to me, sadly, that he has a degenerative problem with the nerves in his back. This has led to an awkward gate, and both kinds of incontinence. I’m glad Patchy’s people warned me, but I am sharing their grief; all they can do is manage the symptoms until the little dog can’t get around, or the housekeeping problem gets too great.

My friends, I thought there was more to tell you, but I’m too tired now. Thank you for reading my Blog.

Love, Ann

P.S. The “overpriced shower head” was installed by Gary and tried by me. It’s wonderful!